Celebrating Gulf Stream School’s 86th graduation, departing eighth-graders Grace Pellerin and Isabella Nazzaro perform ’The Climb’ in the Clough Chapel. 

With Head of School Gray Smith looking on, Patrick Donovan shakes the hand of his son, Nate, as he presents him with his diploma. Donovan is president of the school’s board of trustees.

Danielle Cooper poses with her newly graduated twins, Penton (left) and Maximus, by the old railroad bell following the ceremony. Danielle Cooper joined the Gulf Stream School faculty in 2006 and her sons were students there for 10 years.  Photos by Rachel O'Hara/The Coastal Star

By Faran Fagen

Plants, animals, ecosystems — just about any aspect of the environment they can get their little hands on — are discoverable treasures for youngsters who participate in the Nature Detectives program at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center.

The 5- and 6-year-olds, accompanied by their parents, meet one Saturday each month at the Boca Raton preserve and walk away with a variety of valuable lessons.

“There are multiple highlights for me each time I lead the program, including fostering parent-child bonding, encouraging children’s enthusiasm and curiosity, and instilling a love and appreciation for nature,” said Sasha Calbo, environmental educator for Gumbo Limbo.

Children and parents gain a deeper understanding of the natural world through the monthly themes. They learn about flora and fauna and environmental concepts in an engaging way.

Last year, more than 200,000 visitors took a break from the city bustle to enjoy a walk on the Gumbo Limbo boardwalk, count the thousands of tropical fish in the aquariums, or to relax in the butterfly garden.

The program allows children to learn about the wonders of nature together through story times, explorations and crafts.  

“We’re trying to get parents involved with their kids to learn about the environment,” said Susan Elliott, environmental program coordinator. “This allows parents to learn along with their kids. We try to do that with as many families as possible.”

More than a thousand families have participated in the program since it began in 2005, with the goals of providing accessible nature education, encouraging family bonding and inspiring environmental stewardship.

The sessions are held from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. once a month. The next is July 13, but which Saturday can vary depending on the schedules of the center’s other public programs. The number of families can vary between five and 10.

“The program instills a sense of environmental stewardship,” said Calbo, who has worked at Gumbo Limbo for a little over a year and lives in Boca Raton.

“Families learn the importance of protecting and respecting nature, which can inspire more eco-friendly practices at home.”

Children also learn how to express their creative side through craft activities, which can help them enhance their motor skills.

Founded in 1984, Gumbo Limbo is a cooperative project of the city of Boca Raton, the Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, Florida Atlantic University and the nonprofit Coastal Stewards.

Gumbo Limbo sponsors extensive school programs. Every year more than 5,000 students studying coastal and marine ecology visit Gumbo Limbo with their schools.

Programs are designed to meet the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards and National Core Standard requirements in science education.

For the Nature Detectives programs, parents must attend with children and classes are subject to cancellation due to not enough registration. Reservations are required through the city’s webtrac site at flbocaratonweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web.
Cost is $8 or $10, depending on membership.

Gumbo Limbo Nature Center is at 1801 N. Ocean Blvd., Boca Raton. Call 561-544-8611 or visit www.myboca.us/2096/Gumbo-Limbo-Nature-Center.

By Rich Pollack

The new Highland Beach Fire Rescue Department was in only its third week of operations when the call came that a construction worker had fallen off a building.

Within minutes firefighter/paramedics arrived and treated the man, who had fallen from the third floor of the building he was working on and landed on his van.

Although his injuries weren’t life-threatening, the worker was rushed to the trauma center at Delray Medical Center as a precaution based on how his injuries occurred.

The incident, Highland Beach Fire Rescue Chief Glenn Joseph says, illustrates just the kind of calls for which the members of his department have to be prepared.

“It shows that anything can happen on any day of the week,” he said.

In its first 20 days since its May 1 start, Highland Beach Fire Rescue responded to just short of 40 calls, an average of about 1.8 calls per day, and the operations went smoothly.

“It’s going well,” Joseph said. “For the most part it’s going smoother than I expected.”

Along with mostly medical-related calls, the firefighter/paramedics handled a fire call that involved a smoking pot on the stove that set off smoke detectors.

When not responding to calls, the firefighter/paramedics have been working their way through the condos and other buildings in town, doing “area awareness training.”

They jot down on iPads the locations of elevators, fire alarms, automated external defibrillators, and other items of which they might need knowledge in an emergency.

That information is then fed into a database that is accessible to the whole department.

“I think it’s terrific that they’re coming through the buildings with an iPad and marking down where everything is,” Town Commissioner Evalyn David, who saw the firefighters in her building, said during a commission meeting in May.

During that meeting, commissioners heard from Joseph and Town Manager Marshall Labadie that final punch list items at the town’s new fire station were being finished off and that the station was completed $500,000 under budget and ahead of schedule.

Labadie also said that the town is in the process of having plans developed for the portion of the old fire station that could be converted into an area for community activities, such as the popular food truck events the town holds several times each year.

During the meeting, commissioners passed a resolution naming the new fire station in honor of former Mayor Doug Hillman, a driving force behind the creation of the town-run fire department, who died in 2023.

A bronze plaque recognizing Hillman will be displayed in the lobby of the station as a lasting tribute to his contribution and “enduring impact on the safety and welfare of the Highland Beach community.”

Commissioners also approved a proclamation commending Labadie for his efforts leading to the creation of the new fire department.

Labadie was recognized for his “leadership, perseverance, oversight and management” that led to the successful creation of the department.

Dozens of Highland Beach residents and elected officials board buses headed to the County Commission chambers in West Palm Beach on May 7 in hopes of stopping or altering the building of Milani Park at the south end of Highland Beach. Tim Stepien/The Coastal Star

Rich Pollack

Palm Beach County commissioners have slammed the door on efforts by Highland Beach residents to stop the controversial Milani Park from being built, saying they will stick largely to development plans the town agreed to in 2010.

The decision came after dozens of residents, who arrived at a May 7 County Commission meeting on buses provided by the town, reiterated one by one their fears the beachfront park would create dangerous traffic and swimming conditions, as well as be detrimental to nesting sea turtles.

County Commissioner Marci Woodward, whose district includes the 5.6-acre park site straddling State Road A1A, said she had initially sought a compromise that would reduce the number of parking spaces by more than half and at least initially eliminate bathrooms and a lifeguard station.

She said she withdrew her willingness to compromise after Highland Beach town commissioners passed a resolution saying they wanted the county to sell the park property to developers and then refused to rescind that resolution.

Fellow Commissioner Sara Baxter, who said the resolution was seen as “a line in the sand,” asked if Woodward would be willing to come back to the table if the town rescinded the resolution. Woodward balked.

“If we open this up, we’ll be met with a wall of resistance,” she said.

Residents, many of whom suggested that the property be turned into a walking park, left knowing their plans to stop the park’s development were dashed. But Woodward said she is still willing to work with residents as plans are rolled out.

The west side of the park will still have 100 parking spaces, she said, but the property will be fully landscaped and the parking lot could be mulch, for example, instead of asphalt.

Woodward said she would create a committee of residents to help with the “look and feel” of Milani Park.

“There’s a lot of creative license outside of the approved site plan,” she said. “The community can be part of the layout.”

As the county moves forward with development of the park, it will be required to meet 43 conditions of the settlement agreement that followed a court battle. Those include having an archeologist involved in planning and development of the park, which is believed to be a Native American burial ground, and a requirement that the county develop a plan for protecting sea turtle nests from recreational beach users.

Whether those 43 conditions, which were established 24 years ago, are negotiable is unlikely, although Woodward in a May 24 interview with The Coastal Star left a little room for a possible discussion.

“If the town is interested in negotiating with us they should put together a proposal in writing listing the conditions they want to negotiate,” she said, adding that there are no promises and that the number of parking spots remains non-negotiable.

Highland Beach Mayor Natasha Moore said she had not heard from the county but is open to having a conversation.

“I hope all of our actions would show that we want to work with them,” she said.

During the May 7 meeting with county commissioners, several residents voiced concerns about the safety of those who use the beach, which includes the Yamato Rock outcropping.

Fred Rosen, who lives in Boca Highland Beach Club and Marina adjacent to the park property, pointed out that the beach is small, especially at high tide, and that the area could be dangerous to beachgoers.

“We could lose a life,” he said.

Town Manager Marshall Labadie said he too is concerned that the beach is too small to accommodate the number of people who could use it if there are 100 parking spots on the west side of the road.

“Just from a resource standpoint, there’s no room on the beach,” he said. “The design is too intense.”

Labadie and Moore said the town is still looking at what its next steps, if any, will be as the park planning continues.

Following comments May 7 by more than two dozen residents opposing the park, as well as by Sierra Club members who supported development, Cam Milani said it was time the 36-year-old fight between the county and residents came to an end. The Milani family sold the property to the county for $4 million in 1987.

“At some point you have to do something,” he said.

By Mary Hladky

Boca Raton Deputy Mayor Yvette Drucker has joined the 2026 race to succeed term-limited state Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boca Raton, who represents Palm Beach County’s Senate District 26.

Drucker, a Democrat who announced her candidacy on May 3, will face state Rep. David Silvers, D-Lake Clarke Shores, in the Democratic primary. Republican state Rep. Rick Roth of West Palm Beach also has announced his candidacy for the Senate slot.

“I am ready to bring my passion and experience to the State Senate and continue the remarkable work Lori Berman has done fighting for Democratic values and standing up to extremism in Tallahassee,” Drucker said in a statement announcing her run.

Drucker was elected to the Boca Raton City Council in 2021 and won reelection with 77% of the vote in March.

She is a first-generation Cuban American who is a longtime volunteer with many organizations, including the Junior League of Boca Raton.

As a council member, Drucker has made improving transportation and mobility a top priority.

She is now on the executive board of the Palm Beach County Transportation Planning Agency and serves on several committees of the Florida League of Cities. She also serves on the National League of Cities Transportation and Infrastructure Services Federal Advocacy Committee.

Senate District 26 includes much of Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach and stretches west to Belle Glade.

Berman was elected to the state Senate in a 2018 special election and previously served four state House terms.

A yearlong State Road A1A resurfacing project through Highland Beach and a small portion of Delray Beach was planned to begin the last few days of May.

Initially the $8.3 million project was to include silt fencing and tree protection barriers on both sides of A1A, with road construction to start once that is completed, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

Crews will begin construction of the 3.3-mile project just south of Linton Boulevard and head south. Traffic disruptions are expected and advance notice of lane closures will be provided through signs and other communications.

The widening of the road, mainly on the west side of South Ocean Boulevard, will also result in the removal of landscaping and the relocating of two dozen trees. Six trees in poor condition cannot be saved, FDOT representatives say.

The improvements will be especially noticeable at the intersection of A1A and Linton Boulevard. For years, town leaders and residents have complained about northbound cars causing lengthy backups while waiting to turn onto the Linton Boulevard bridge.

The project will more than triple the length of the left-turn lane for cars heading over the bridge, from 75 feet to 275 feet. The lane now accommodates only about three cars. That will expand to about 11 cars once the work is complete, meaning that turning cars will block northbound traffic less often.
— Rich Pollack

It’s farewell to the small community post office tucked in behind Highland Beach Town Hall. Scenes from the last day:
ABOVE: Valerie Jacoby, the postal clerk for 24 years, is ready for retirement. Her plans were part of the reason the town decided to close the office. Photos by Tim Stepien/
The Coastal Star

Post office closes after 60 years of service on small-town scale

By Rich Pollack

The visitors to the tiny post office tucked behind Highland Beach Town Hall came one by one — some with packages to be mailed, some with flowers and some with candy.

A few of those stopping by on what would be the community post office’s final day were there to take care of business, but most were there to say goodbye to the people behind the counter and to the little outpost itself, which has been a convenience and a social gathering place for six decades.

“This post office has been a mainstay for us locals and it’s heartbreaking to see it go,” said longtime resident Virginia Bradford, who made one last visit. “It’s a terrible thing.”

With its roots going back to 1964, the Highland Beach community post office was first and foremost a hassle-free way for residents to buy stamps, mail packages and take care of basic postal services.

It started, initially in Town Hall, before the Spanish River Boulevard bridge opened in 1971 and the Linton Boulevard bridge opened in 1981. That meant residents had to drive to Palmetto Park Road or Atlantic Avenue to get to a downtown post office in either Boca Raton or Delray Beach.

Over the years, it evolved into a small outpost, still providing a convenience to those who bicycle, walk or drive from nearby condos or even from neighboring beachfront communities.

A series of decisions by the U.S. Postal Service, combined with the retirement of longtime clerk Valerie Jacoby, led to the mid-May demise of what some called a throwback to days when a small-town post office was about a lot more than mail.

“People describe it as being like Mayberry,” Jacoby said. “We got to know a lot of people by name and we thought of them not just as customers but also as friends.”

Town commissioners closed the doors after the Postal Service decided to stop allowing the community post office to use its credit card machine, followed by a requirement that a check for all transactions be sent at the end of each day.

The town, which derived little if any revenue from the post office — all the money collected went to the Postal Service — estimated a savings of about $160,000 a year by not having to operate the facility.

Regulars who had been coming to the town post office for decades say they will miss Jacoby, who had already announced her retirement and has moved to Lake Placid, as well as John Fitzpatrick, the last in a line of a handful of part-time clerks in the last 20 years who residents say served as Jacoby’s trusted sidekick.

They will also miss the little touches.

Visitors to the post office were greeted with a small table and chair outside the door where they could sit and fill out forms for registered or certified mail. As they walked in, they strolled past an ever-present boombox adorned with an aluminum foil antenna to help pick up a station playing music from years past.

On the back wall, behind the counter, hung a giant American flag.

“It was like a throwback in time,” said regular visitor Bonnie Hirsch. “It was like an old neighborhood community post office.”

Jacoby gets a hug from Bonnie Hirsch, a longtime customer.

To add to the homey atmosphere, Jacoby would make it a point to decorate for the holidays. The post office would transform into red, white and blue for Independence Day, green with shamrocks for St. Patrick’s and be adorned with red and white candy canes during the holiday season.

“These little things are not taken for granted,” said Dale Echeverria, a business owner who stopped by three or four times a week to send out certified or registered mail to customers.

Jacoby, who worked in a small-town post office in Illinois before taking the Highland Beach job in 2000, often called on her experience to help customers.

“She saved me money, just giving me advice,” Echeverria said.

Business owner Dale Echeverria exits his car to drop off his last batch of mail.

One reason she could be available to help customers was that most of the time, except for the holidays and tax time, there was hardly ever a line.

And even when there was, visitors spent the time talking to one another and sharing stories.

“If you had to wait, it was a pleasure,” Hirsch said.

Since the town’s post office closed on May 14, residents have been able to use two contract post offices across the Spanish River and Linton Boulevard bridges, at Postal Sweets CPU, 4060 N. Dixie Highway, and  at Pak It Tight, 335 E. Linton Blvd.

Of course, it’s not the same.

“You won’t get the personal service you get here,” resident Jim Mueller said.

By Mary Hladky

More than four years of effort by the Boca Raton Housing Authority to secure money and approvals to replace the dilapidated Dixie Manor public housing complex reached a major milestone on May 14 when the City Council voted unanimously in favor of authorizing new construction.

Advocates for Dixie Manor, which will become the Residences at Martin Manor, unsuccessfully sought many changes to the plans submitted by the Housing Authority and co-developer Atlantic Pacific Communities. But last-minute negotiations potentially salvaged their efforts to ensure that the history of the existing buildings, dating to 1941, will be preserved.

What form that will take was left up in the air. Newly appointed Housing Authority board member Marie Hester, the longtime president of Developing Interracial Social Change (D.I.S.C.), wanted one of the existing buildings, or at least one apartment, kept to become a museum.

Housing Authority and Atlantic Pacific attorney Ele Zachariades said it is not yet known if a building that old could be preserved, but offered to create an interactive history exhibit in the complex’s community center with the help of the Boca Raton Historical Society.

The compromise reached by the two sides was that a building would be preserved if Atlantic Pacific secures funding for restoration and maintenance. If that fails, Atlantic Pacific and the historical society must find a preservation alternative.

The complex is in Pearl City, founded in 1915, which recently was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The buildings in Dixie Manor were constructed for the families of Black service members serving in the area during World War II.

Historic preservation was a key demand of Hester and other Dixie Manor supporters, and many of its residents also voiced support. But seven residents told council members that getting better housing was paramount and they urged them to approve the project.

“We want better housing conditions for us,” said Dixie Manor resident Erica White. “We want to see the redevelopment. The focus is on us as residents living better.”
Council members rebuffed pleas for an elevator and trash chute in each building because the city code does not require that. Residents and supporters also wanted traffic calming improvements on Dixie Highway and Glades Road, but those are county or state roads and the city has no jurisdiction.

They did agree to add 23 more parking spaces, but that was less than what residents wanted to accommodate themselves and visitors. Two very old and large banyan trees will be preserved.

The council approved construction of the first phase of the project on the north side of the 10-acre property.

About half of the tenants in the complex’s 95 apartments will move into units in the south side, and the rest will be relocated elsewhere with the assistance of a company hired by Atlantic Pacific. The demolished north side buildings will be replaced by three new three-story buildings with the same number of apartments that should be ready for occupancy in about three years. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development has provided funding.

The second phase will involve the construction of about 100 apartments on the south side, doubling the amount of subsidized housing in the complex. The Housing Authority is now applying for funding. Historic preservation would be included in the second phase.

While everyone agrees Dixie Manor’s buildings must be replaced, mistrust and fear have dogged the project from the start.

Residents worry they will not be allowed to return to the rebuilt complex at a time when other low-cost housing in the city is impossible to find. The Housing Authority insists they can return as long as they continue to meet income thresholds set by HUD.

They have faulted the Housing Authority for poor communication that has left them unsure about what is happening and what their options are. They question whether the authority and Atlantic Pacific have chosen the best method available to rebuild the property.

Residents have pleaded with the City Council to intervene. But council members say they have no authority over the independent Housing Authority and their only role is to appoint authority board members.

Over the past two years, the council has appointed several new board members, including Hester, who they hoped would improve communication and have the trust of residents.

But turmoil continues. Board member Fabiola Bernier, appointed in 2022, resigned in February, citing “the current state or climate of this (housing authority) and its board” which, she said, does not advocate for residents.

Both Bernier and Hester have voiced concerns about the Housing Authority’s new executive director, Ashley Whidby, a longtime employee whom the board elevated to the top position in January following the departure of John Scannell.

Hester said the board illegally appointed Whidby without advertising the position or interviewing candidates. Bernier said the board should have hired a person with experience in redeveloping public housing.

Hypoluxo Island resident Leah Mills and her daughter have come up with a ‘better-for-you drink.’ Photo provided

What 10 years ago was a summertime drink Leah Mills would serve friends and family is now a gin-based refreshment the Hypoluxo Island resident and her family are marketing nationwide.

The drink is called The Original Southside, which hit the market in January. It is a gluten-free concoction of gin, lemon and mint that is 10% alcohol and, according to Mills and her daughter Meredith, healthier than almost anything your local bar is serving. You can buy it in cans at www.drinksouthsides.com.

“We’re starting to pay attention to what’s in our food now, and our water, but nobody ever thinks about what you’re drinking when you order a drink at a bar,” said Mills, 59. “Our idea was to make a better-for-you drink.”

Her daughter earned both an undergraduate degree and a master’s at Southern Methodist University, then after a time in the workforce, went for another master’s at the University of Southern California, this one in consumer behavior.

“One of her projects was to study a company that makes a wine-based cooler, and she thought about how good my drink was,” Mills said. “She had access to a lot of research in the alcohol industry and it came to her attention that gin was an under-represented category.”

A family friend had worked at Brown-Forman, one of the largest alcohol producers in the world, and Meredith Mills used that resource to help with distribution and sought out Flavorman in Louisville to help with flavor development.

After more than a year of testing and refining, the Millses — Leah, her husband, Brent, and Meredith — decided to offer their drink at their annual Flamingle party on New Year’s Eve in 2022.

“Everybody loved it, so we went from there,” Leah said.

The Millses also have two sons: Parker, who is in law school at SMU, and Sutton, an analyst who works with his father in venture capital acquisitions.
— Brian Biggane

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school? How do you think that has influenced you?
A: I was born and raised in Oklahoma City. I went to Edmond Memorial High School. From there, I attended the University of Oklahoma where I received a degree in finance and my Juris Doctorate degree. 

Growing up and living in a place like Oklahoma gives you a unique perspective. Oklahomans are friendly and made up of many different cultural influences. It is full of resilient, hardworking people with strong values of family, patriotism and civic engagement. It influenced me to be the same: hardworking and resilient, but also to appreciate others no matter their differences and backgrounds.

Q: What professions have you worked in? 
A: I was a practicing health benefits ERISA [Employee Retirement Income Security Act] attorney for 25-plus years, but after I retired, I became an official brand ambassador and board member for The Original Southside. Helping run a spirit beverage company is quite a departure from the practice of law and I will say it makes law look easy. 

Q: What professional accomplishments are you most proud of? 
A: I am most proud of helping others with my law degree. Before I retired in 2018, I spent the majority of my career representing people who were denied health insurance benefits for medically necessary procedures. The specialty area I worked in had a tremendous number of denials, particularly for women and children. It was gratifying to see my efforts help people receive the medical treatments they needed. 

I am also proud that my professional accomplishments helped Meredith have the confidence and support necessary to embark on this entrepreneurial journey of creating her own business, in a largely male-dominated industry with more barriers to entry than you can imagine. 

Q: What advice do you have for a young person seeking a career today?
A: Learn as much as you can and laugh along the way. I am a big believer in education. Education exposes you to new concepts and new people. You grow as a person — you better yourself. Whether you choose the path of trade school or college and beyond, we must be curious learners our whole lives, working to make our own and others’ lives better.

Jerry Seinfeld recently spoke at Duke’s commencement ceremony and his advice was full of meaning. He gave traditional advice to “focus on work and fall in love” but he went on to defend humor. “The slightly uncomfortable feeling of awkward humor is OK … even at the cost of hard feelings.” I think we’ve forgotten to laugh at ourselves and others and this creates intolerance. Education combined with humor along the way helps all of us all appreciate our differences.

Q: How did you choose to make your home on Hypoluxo Island?  
A: We began to seasonally visit Florida more than 20 years ago. My husband, an avid outdoorsman and boater, took a Florida map and drew a circle around the longitude and latitude of where the year-round weather would be best. We would choose different places to visit within the circle to see where we would most like to settle. We happened upon Hypoluxo Island after renting a charming house in Manalapan. We hired a real estate agent that weekend to take us to available homes — by boat, of course. We saw a few homes, but one stood out among the rest for its magical front courtyard. We settled on our Lantana location after finding what we think is the quintessential whimsical Florida Keys-style home.

Q: What is your favorite part about living on Hypoluxo Island? 
A: We love our location and neighbors. Hypoluxo is the best of all South Florida worlds. We have friendly neighbors, convenient local amenities, and proximity within 20 minutes north or south to the finest shopping, dining and culture in the world. Miami is not far and the boater among us enjoys the proximity to the Bahamas and the Florida Keys.

Q: What book are you reading now?
A: For work, I am busy reading and learning about the consumer goods and alcohol industry: Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition by Daniel Okrent; How Brands Grow, by Byron Sharp, and Mission in a Bottle, by Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff. For pleasure, I am reading No Ordinary Time, by Doris Kearns Goodwin. It is a surprisingly prescient book to be reading today.

Q: What music do you listen to when you want to relax? When you want to be inspired?
A: To relax, I listen to smooth jazz and ’80s, ’90s and 2000s soft rock. If I want to be inspired, I try and keep up with the younger generation by listening to the top 20 hits of the day.

Q: Have you had mentors in your life? Individuals who have inspired your life decisions?
A: I didn’t have one specific mentor, rather in the late ’80s and early ’90s every female lawyer in practice was a mentor. There were not as many female partners then as there are today, so it was a real marker of success to be a female partner at a law firm. It was a time where other female lawyers exemplified the ideal of having it all — a successful career, relationships and family.  I am inspired by women who break barriers and traditional molds encouraging other young women to do the same.

Q: If your life story were to be made into a movie, who would play you? 
A: Sandra Bullock. She has the down-to-earth, girl-next-door quality combined with wit, determination and intellect.

Ocean Ridge Garden Club member Britt Flanagan leads the club’s drive to send grade-school students to the Wekiva Youth Camp in central Florida. Eleven will go this summer. Photo provided

By Brian Biggane

An Ocean Ridge Garden Club program that started 25 years ago, designed to send local children to summer camp at Wekiwa Springs State Park, had fallen dormant until Britt Flanagan was asked to take the reins three years ago.

Putting to use her academic background (she has three master’s degrees in various areas of psychology), networking skills and, as she puts it, “a little Irish luck,” Flanagan revived the program that later this month will send 11 elementary school children off for a weeklong adventure of learning and fun at the park in the central Florida town of Apopka.

Her efforts were recently recognized when she received the Pillar of Pride award from the club. “It recognizes her significant help in getting Camp Wekiva regenerated,” said garden club President Sallie Howell.

Flanagan, who lives in Ocean Ridge with her husband, Skip, made a good first impression upon joining the club in 2021 while working at the Save the Seas program.

“As a result of that they said, ‘OK, this gal is going to work hard, so we need you to revive the Wekiwa program,’” said Flanagan, 79. “There were students who were interested but frequently never made it to the camp. So, if it was going to fly, we had to help the kids get to camp, not just give them a scholarship.”

Her first step was to identify schools to partner with. She ultimately decided on S.D. Spady in Delray Beach and Freedom Shores in Boynton Beach.

“We were looking for schools with good environmental programs and with kids who don’t get these opportunities,” Flanagan said. “At Freedom Shores 80% of the kids get free lunches, and at Spady, it’s 50%. The teachers helped us pick out the kids who love to learn and would treasure this experience.”

The remaining big hurdle, particularly in the financial end, was transportation. The club was committed to pay not only the sponsorship fee of $280 per camper, but also the cost of transportation and other amenities — including seven days of clothing, a backpack filled with supplies, snacks and water — that brought the total to close to $800.

As for the transportation, Flanagan said, “for safety and supervision a van was the best way to go.” The club rented a 14-seat van with an experienced driver and picked up the insurance to limit liability.

Once committed to the project, Flanagan spent time learning what the camp was all about. The Florida Federation of Garden Clubs has sponsored the Wekiva Youth Camp since 1974 and oversees its programs, which include nature hikes, swimming lessons, environmental programs and nighttime wagon rides through the woods.

“I aligned myself with a registrar there and learned every detail, and was very impressed,” Flanagan said. “It’s pretty special — a magical experience for the kids.”

Campers are not allowed any electronic devices such as smartphones or iPads, so there’s a focus on interpersonal communication. They are housed in cabins with four bunk beds, and each cabin has two counselors, one from high school and one from college, both of whom are former campers.

While the Wekiva Youth Camp is open to kids in grades 3-8, the local contingent is confined to grades 4, 5 and 6. The Ocean Ridge club restarted its program in 2022 when it sent eight campers; last year 10 were selected and this year there will be 11.

Delray Beach resident and Spady mother Raiko Knight, whose daughter Rockell attended the camp each of the last two years, said the experience was a life-changer.

“It was a completely different experience than anything she had ever had, and she loved it,” Knight said. “It opened up her world so much and you can see it made a huge difference in the lives of a lot of the kids.”

Flanagan said the program has gained enough momentum that its initial growing pains have largely disappeared.

“People understand now what it’s about, so last year and this year we’ve had a wait list,” she said. “We have a reputation now for providing a great opportunity and a wonderful week for young people.”

The Flanagans have two grown daughters, Heather Desmond and Amber Sweedler, and five grandchildren.

This eight-bedroom Highland Beach estate at 2455 S. Ocean Blvd., completed in 2014 by Mark Timothy Inc., a luxury home builder based in Boca Raton, sold for $50 million in May. Photo provided

By Christine Davis

Omaha businessman Steve Buchanan and his wife, Samantha, sold their eight-bedroom, 23,625-square-foot estate at 2455 S. Ocean Blvd., Highland Beach, for $50 million in May in an off-market deal.

When they purchased the property in April 2022 for $40 million, it had set the previous record for the highest sales price for a home in Highland Beach. Buchanan founded Buchanan Energy and Bucky’s Convenience Stores, which he sold in 2021 to the convenience store chain Casey’s General Stores for $580 million.

A Delaware-registered limited liability company named after the property’s address bought the estate.

***

Whiskey Tango 1120, a limited liability company linked to WeatherTech founder and CEO David F. MacNeil, bought a 2-acre estate at 1120 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan, for $38.5 million. The renovated estate, with approximately 195 feet on the ocean and Intracoastal Waterway, features six bedrooms in a Bermuda-style design.

The seller, a Florida limited liability company named after the property’s address, purchased it for $30.7 million in 2021. Listed by Douglas Elliman agents Gary Pohrer and Nick Malinosky, the property entered the market in February at $39.5 million. Compass Florida agent Tim Elmes represented the buyer.

***

Demetrios T. and Kathleen B. Patrinos sold their 8,359-total-square-foot estate, with 100 feet of oceanfront at 3435 N. Ocean Blvd. in Gulf Stream, for $21 million. Demetrios Patrinos is the owner of a Pittsburgh painting and drywall company.

BON Property LLC, a Delaware-registered company, is the buyer. Corcoran Group agent Candace Friis brokered the deal. Built on the 0.93-acre site in 1991, the property last sold for $7 million in 2013. 

***

With construction wrapping up, El-Ad National Properties announced that phase two of Alina Residences Boca Raton is almost 80% sold. Alina achieved $65 million in sales in the first quarter 2024, and recently sold a penthouse for $10 million. Alina 210 residences are expected to be delivered this summer, with Alina 220 to be delivered late 2024. A variety of floor plans and residences are still available. Alina’s sales and model gallery is at 200 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton.

***

Directors recently appointed to the Boynton Beach Online Chamber include Ben Capua III, director of operations and digital infrastructure; Christine Roberts-Kelly, director/CFO; Ian Minnerly, director of creativity and drone pilot; Tiffany Harrington, assistant to the executive chairman and operations coordinator; Drew Kapneck, director/legal counsel; Kevin Greenberg, director of city affairs; and Ben Eachus, director.  

“We have created a team curated to push one common mission: to increase the sense of community and prosperity in Boynton Beach,” said Rick Maharajh, the chamber’s executive chairman and founder. 

For more information, visit www.BBOCFlorida.com.  

***

Homeless Coalition CEO Tomara Mays received Palm Beach Atlantic University and the Jewish Federation of Palm Beach County’s 2024 Tikkun Olam Award in recognition of her two-decade commitment to reducing homelessness and creating access to services for unhoused people.

She spearheaded programs addressing needs for education, workforce development, inclusion and independence for individuals with disabilities, rehabilitation for offenders, and housing for homeless families. She volunteers her knowledge through consulting services, and shares skills with organizations such as Zeta Phi Beta sorority, National Forum for Black Public Administrators and the Women of Color Empowerment Institute.  

***

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Palm Beach County ReStore in Boca Raton has new hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and closed on Sunday. The store is at 272 S. Dixie Highway. 

ReStores are home-improvement thrift stores and donation centers with five locations in the county. Sales of donated items help Habitat for Humanity partner with local families to build and repair safe and affordable homes in their communities.

***

The Delray Beach Housing Authority and the Delray Housing Group Inc. were chosen as finalists for the 2024 Housing Heroes Awards by the Housing Leadership Council of Palm Beach County.

They were recognized in May at the Kravis Center for their contributions in bringing attainable housing to the county’s workforce.

West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James was a Housing Heroes Award winner, and Jonathan Wolf, founder and CEO of Wendover Housing Partners LLC, was the keynote speaker.  

***

Lang Realty has opened a new sales office at 6653 Jog Road, Boca Raton. Lang Realty has a roster of more than 300 agents and a presence across Boca Raton, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Jupiter and Port St. Lucie. 

For more information, visit  www.langrealty.com or call the Jog Road office at 561-989-2100.

***

The League of Women Voters of Palm Beach County will host a Hot Topic Luncheon, “DEIA: Election Year Issue and Impact,” with guest speaker Barbara Cheives, president and CEO of Converge & Associates Consulting, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 19.

DEIA stands for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility.

The lunch will be held at the Hilton Palm Beach Airport, 150 Australian Ave., West Palm Beach. The price to attend is $35. Registration must be made before June 12 online at https://lwvpbc.org/event/june-hot-topic-2024.

Cheives’ clients include the Cultural Council for Palm Beach County and Maltz Jupiter Theatre.

Her consulting expertise includes law enforcement and public safety, not-for-profit organizations, media, education and corporations. She served as the first executive director of Toward a More Perfect Union in Palm Beach County, a nonprofit initiative addressing the impact of race and ethnicity in a diverse community.

Send business news to Christine Davis, cdavis9797@gmail.com.

TOP: Evergreen is one of the oldest cemeteries in South Florida. BELOW: Landy Mizell, pastor at Maranatha Bible Church, photographs the Lyman family headstone in April at the cemetery. Photos by Tim Stepien/Coastal Star

Lantana cemetery gets makeover
thanks to the historical society
and a scout on a mission

By Ron Hayes

If cemeteries have a birthday, Lantana’s was probably April 7, 1892, when The Tropical Sun, South Florida’s first newspaper, reported the birth.

“An association to be called the ‘Evergreen Cemetery Co.’ has been formed in this neighborhood. Land purchased of M.B. Lyman on Spruce Ridge one half mile from Lake on township line 44-45 will be immediately improved.”

The first to arrive was Bertha Rachel Lyman, the infant daughter of M.B. and Mary Lyman. She died Dec. 10, 1893.

The last was Daniel McCarley, the town’s first police chief, who died on April 15, 1950. He was 78.

In the 58 years between the Lyman infant and Dan McCarley, township line 44-45 became the southeast corner of Lantana Road and North Arnold Avenue, and dozens more men, women and children came to rest there, in the shade of a mammoth ficus tree.

Some had been the town’s pioneers. Some were there only because shipwrecks and hurricanes had ended their lives nearby, and some were buried apart, back in the southwest corner.

Another 56 years passed, and by 2006 the cemetery that had been “immediately improved” in 1892 had not been regularly cared for. The grass was overgrown, the gravestones dirty. Sincere but sporadic efforts to rehabilitate Evergreen Cemetery had faltered.

The Lantana Historical Society committed to a beautification project. The cemetery was added to the state’s list of historical sites and the society dreamed of fencing along the east, west and south sides, with ornamental pillars at the four corners.

And then a Boy Scout on a deadline arrived.

Michael Marrin spent months mapping and supervising the cleaning of grave sites at Evergreen Cemetery as he completed an Eagle Scout project. Tim Stepien/Coastal Star

Young man with a plan
Michael Marrin, who grew up not far from the cemetery, joined Boy Scout Troop 109 when he was 12. On March 23, 2022, he would turn 18 and “age out” of the Boy Scouts.

And he still hadn’t earned his Eagle Scout badge.

Just before then the family was stationed at the Osan Air Base in South Korea, where Michael’s Eagle Scout project was reviving the garden in front of the base’s day care center.

In December 2021, the family returned home to Lantana. The day care’s garden was back in Korea, and Marrin, with only three months until his 18th birthday, was without an Eagle Scout project.

He was granted an extension to complete a project. Now he just needed a project.

Marrin met with longtime Town Council member Lynn “Doc” Moorhouse, who suggested he do something about the cemetery, and Marrin was inspired.

“How do we help someone know what they’re looking at?” he thought.

In November 2022, Marrin set to work, meeting with Rosemary Mouring, president of the historical society, visiting the graves, noting their locations and reading old newspaper reports to create a map, a key to the graves of those known and unknown men, women and children buried there so long ago.

Here’s Morris B. Lyman (1860-1924), deemed the town’s founder and first postmaster, who lived and ran a trading post in what’s now the Old Key Lime House restaurant. Here’s his wife, Mary A. (1863-1928). And here’s their daughter, Bertha Rachel Lyman, who was born March 2, 1893, and died the following December.

Here in the southeast corner are the crew members of the Inchulva, a steamer carrying lumber and cottonseed oil that broke into three pieces off Delray Beach in the hurricane of 1903. Nine drowned, including two black crew members.

Here in the southwest corner are the unmarked graves of several of the town’s first African American families.

And here, beneath the giant ficus, is the mass grave where victims of the 1928 hurricane lie.

“It took two months,” Marrin recalled. “I supervised about 10 or 15 fellow scouts and we cleaned every column and picked up the trash. The stones were moldy and dirty, a little unkept, and there were bags of trash in the tree, from maybe some homeless sleeping under it.”

A rebirth of memory
On the morning of April 10, about 40 men and women gathered by the west gate to rededicate the 132-year-old cemetery.

New fencing enclosed the entire 2 acres, and new columns graced the four corners. The grass had been cut. There was no trash.

“No, no tax money was used to pay for this,” Mouring, the historical society’s president, was quick to note. “It was all paid for by private donations.”

How much did the beautification cost?

“I know,” she said, “but I’m not saying. That’s why the plaque is up there.”

On the pillar to the right of the gate: “In Memory of Dwight M. Bradshaw for his generous contribution of the fencing project. Evergreen Cemetery, Lantana, Florida.”

Bradshaw, who died on Feb. 19, 2021, was a longtime member of the historical society who left a donation to pay for the improvements.

To the left of the gate is a wooden kiosk with a map behind glass. It is a key to the cemetery’s residents, and it is an Eagle Scout project.

Mouring welcomed the crowd, thanked a few notables, and gave a brief history of the place.

Mayor Karen Lythgoe told them she sees the fence as a tribute to Morris B. Lyman, the man who named the town Lantana Point, after the wild plant that grew so abundantly in the area.

After the brief remarks, the cemetery was open for wandering, looking at the graves, pondering the past.

Lythgoe, who grew up in nearby Lantana Heights, remembered cutting through the cemetery as a little girl on her way to Gray’s Market with 25 cents for penny candy.

“I was always touched passing by the children’s graves,” she remembered. And then she smiled.

“For a quarter you could get 25 pieces of penny candy,” she said. “Mrs. Gray always looked at us like we were going to steal something.”

Over by the kiosk, Marrin and Moorhouse were admiring the map.

“I gave Michael an opportunity,” Moorhouse said, “but he’s the one who picked up on it and made it happen.”

When Glenn Ellis, the town’s public services superintendent, joined them, they noted that the fence had not yet been installed when the kiosk was planted in the ground. Now there was less than 3 feet to view it between the new fence and the map.

“Maybe it could be moved back 3 feet or so?” Marrin asked.

“We can make that happen,” Ellis promised.

In December 2022, Marrin met with the board of review — about seven members of the Boys Scouts Gulf Stream Council.

“It was like a job interview,” he explained. “To see if you’d met the requirements to become an Eagle Scout.”

He had, and in June 2023, at a Court of Honor ceremony, he received his Eagle Scout badge and kerchief.

Michael Marrin, 20, will be a junior at Florida Atlantic University, where he is studying mechanical engineering.

Janet DeVries Naughton provided historical research for this story.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified where the steamer Inchulva sank in 1903. It sank off the coast of what is now Delray Beach. 

Impact 100 Palm Beach County named the recipients of its annual grants totaling $984,600 to nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving South County. The winners were unveiled at the 13th annual event attended by 450 members and guests. Those receiving $100,000 awards were Youth Orchestra of Palm Beach County, Mandel Jewish Community Center, Semper-Fi Service Dogs, Fuller Center, Family Promise of South Palm Beach County, Eat Better Live Better, Families First of Palm Beach County, PHIT America, and Feeding Palm Beach County. ‘Investing in these organizations not only supports our community but also underscores the power of women uniting to create meaningful change,’ Co-President Jeannine Morris said. ABOVE: Morris (left) and Co-President Kimberly Boldt (right) with recipients (l-r) Jim Baugh, Allyson Vaulx, Melissa Wijngaarde, Michael Fraley, Debra Tendrich, Owen Prager, Ryan Onda, Johnathan Kabot and Brianna Beaver. Photo provided

Creative Waves Foundation co-founders Ali and Candy Tamposi served as hosts of an event to benefit the building of an enrichment center in Belle Glade. Cassadee Pope and Bianca Rosario — both foundation board members — performed, and area students displayed their nature photography. More than 150 attended to support the project and participate in a live auction. ABOVE: Val Coz and Trisha Saffer. BELOW: Candy and Ali Tamposi. Photos provided

The annual cinematic event reeled in more than $40,000 for the American Friends of Magen David Adom. Proceeds specifically will be used for the Marcus National Blood Services Center in Israel. ‘Through the Boca International Jewish Film Festival, we are not only celebrating Jewish culture but also demonstrating our commitment to supporting vital charities such as Magen David Adom,’ said Lesley Rich, co-founder of Israel’s official representative to the International Red Cross. ‘We proudly stand with Jewish-focused causes, advocating for their missions and ensuring their continued impact.’ RIGHT: Billi and Bernie Marcus (sitting) with (l-r) Arleen Roberts, Lesley Rich and Wendy Honig. Photo provided

UNICO, the largest Italian-American service organization in the United States, celebrated the induction of four new members to the Highland Beach Chapter. The evening underscored the commitment of the national organization founded nearly 100 years ago to community service and the preservation of Italian heritage. The addition of the new members reflects the nonprofit’s growth and influence. ABOVE: (l-r) President Trish Savides, new members Macha Acquaviva and Steven Saban, Vice President Mike Federico and board member JoAnne Moeller. Photo provided

Supporters of Boca Helping Hands passed go at the sold-out event where guests enjoyed games, music, dancing, auctions, an interactive art installation, cocktails, dinner and, of course, the crowning of the 2024 Monopoly champion, Keith Nassetta. ‘The event was a resounding success and will help make a meaningful and lasting difference in the lives of those we serve,’ Co-Chairwoman Reagan Heidelberg said. Proceeds will assist 35,000 clients in the South Florida community through hunger relief, job training, health care, emergency financial assistance and child care. The agency kicked off its major fundraiser with a VIP cocktail party at The Addison that included a round of the board game. The top five Monopoly scorers received tickets to the gala. RIGHT: Bill Keith and Dianne Fine with Monopoly man Leonard Wierzbowski. Photo provided

The Literacy Council of Palm Beach County’s 33rd annual benefit was a major success, bringing in $300,000 to fund adult, child and family reading programs. A sold-out crowd of 600-plus listened to featured speaker Geraldine Brooks, a Pulitzer Prize-winning best-selling author. Brooks, known for her impeccably researched historical works, shared her journey from journalist to novelist, which includes a novel about a racehorse. ABOVE: (l-r) Kristin Calder, Debra Ghostine, Nancy Vera, Bernadette O’Grady, Lindsay Reinhart, Telsula Morgan, Grace Halabi, Stephanie Kahlert, Maggie Dickenson and Ken Spillias.

Also attending the luncheon were (l-r) Caron Dockerty, Becky Walsh, Brenda Medore and Leanne Adair. Photos provided by Tracey Benson Photography

YMCA of South Palm Beach County’s “Safety Around the Water” program has received funding from the USA Swimming Foundation.

The $7,000 grant will support efforts to offer free and reduced-cost lessons.

“I am thrilled we have the opportunity to serve 82 youth with lifesaving swim lessons in Palm Beach County,” said Libby Moon, the Y’s associate director of water safety. “Thank you to USA Swimming for helping make swim lessons a possibility to those with the greatest need in our community.”

In other news, the Y also received funding to teach 300 children and adults how to swim. The local agency was awarded $21,000 from YMCA of the USA.

“As temperatures rise, individuals of all ages are looking to cool off, whether that is in home pools, ponds, lakes, rivers, streams or oceans, and that means the risk of drowning is as prevalent as ever,” Moon said.

For more information, call Moon at 561-237-0950 or visit ymcaspbc.org

Golf tournament raises $645,000 for children
More than 30 children’s charities throughout Palm Beach County are the beneficiaries of grants from the Boca West Children’s Foundation 12th annual golf event.

The daylong challenge at Boca West Country Club raised $645,000. It included brunch, a cocktail reception and dinner.

“The golf challenge is our signature annual fundraiser, and so many people from the community participate in our shared effort to support local kids,” said Pamela Weinroth, the foundation’s executive director.

For more information, call 561-488-6980 or visit bocawestfoundation.org

Donation aims to teach about Jewish heritage
Naomi Kramer has donated $1 million to the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County.

Kramer, an 89-year-old resident of Harbour’s Edge in Delray Beach, said it is her way of being part of the change she wants to see.

“Children and young adults are losing an appreciation of what it means to be Jewish,” she said. “I want to change that.”

Her gift on behalf of the William K. and Naomi Kramer Charitable Foundation will help ensure future generations know their Jewish heritage to perpetuate a sense of pride.

“I’m very proud of our heritage and what a small percentage of the population has contributed to the world at large,” Kramer said. “I don’t want us to disappear.”

For more information, call 561-852-3342 or visit jewishboca.org/departments/annual/major-donors

Send news and notes to Amy Woods at flamywoods@bellsouth.net.

By Janis Fontaine

Several times in her life, author Lee Ann Mancini of Boca Raton has looked for a particular type of book and, unable to find it, decided to write it.

It started with “Sea Kids,” Mancini’s award-winning series of Christian children’s books.

When her children, Guy and Lena, now in their early 30s, were small, the only Christian books Mancini could find were books of Bible stories. Those were fine, as far as they went.

Unable to borrow or buy what she wanted, Mancini wrote two books based on real-life problems and read them to her kids at night. She says she mostly wanted them to know that they can pray to Jesus, and he will help them.

Fast forward to 2005. Her children now teenagers, Mancini goes back to school to study theology and over the years earns three master’s degrees, in Christian studies, Christian and classical studies and Biblical and theological studies.

In her reading, she stumbles across a fact that stops her in her tracks: 40% of teenagers have walked away from their faith. The voracious researcher learned the truth: We were raising our kids with what Bible scholar Ken Ham called “a Sunday school faith” and it didn’t last.

“You cannot just send your child to Sunday school and expect that to be enough,” said Mancini, 65.

If you want your children to have a real relationship with God, you’ve got to start early and be consistent.

Realizing how few books existed like the ones she had written for her kids, in 2014 she founded GLM Publishing, short for God Loves Me. Mancini found an illustrator who brought her lively characters drawn from sea life to full, brightly colored fruition.

Her stories and the drawings resonated with children and, as she’d hoped, the books filled a void: accessible Christian children’s books that taught biblical lessons. Her delightful creatures had distinct personalities and modern problems that they used biblical principles to solve.

The series grew to six books (available on Amazon) and then, by God’s hand, they grew into an animated Christian children’s series called SeaKids.

There are now 26 episodes, each about 11 minutes long. Titles include “The Respect Effect,” “Love Is the Best Policy,” and “A Thankful Heart.” Each has a Bible verse and a lesson based on it. Episodes are available on Answers.TV, Pure Flix, Right Now Media and SeaKidsTV (seakidstv.com).

In 2020, Mancini began hosting the award-winning podcast Raising Christian Kids (available on all major platforms and streaming on KHCB Radio’s Upliftd station).

She shares biblically based wisdom and insightful tools for parenting that bring kids closer to Jesus. The podcast has grown to more than 300 episodes featuring a full plate of experts and guests. In 2023, Mancini founded the nonprofit Raising Christian Kids and then in February she published her new book, Raising Kids to Follow Christ: Instilling a Lifelong Trust in God.

After reading more than 215 parenting books and hundreds of articles, she combined that information with lessons from her podcast to deliver a 192-page roadmap for raising kids from the womb on. (Yes, you should read the Bible to your baby in utero!)

Mancini begins at the beginning by providing a simplified, child-friendly version of the Ten Commandments. The rules, which are found in the fifth chapter of Deuteronomy written in language that is a challenge for educated adults, are converted into words a child can understand.

Mancini found her purpose and inspiration in what some call the Lord’s “Greatest Commandment,” Deuteronomy 6:4-7, which says: “4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: 7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” (King James version)

So important is this scripture, this same passage hangs in Hebrew, along with Deuteronomy 11:13-21, written on tiny scroll lovingly protected in a mezuzah, a decorative box, outside many Jewish homes.

“Children have to be our top priority,” Mancini said. “We have to be the Rosie the Riveters of our time. Our parents went out and joined the fight, and we have our own fight, but ours is counterculture warfare.”

Mancini believes that Christians need to reaffirm and refocus on Jesus to succeed in this complicated world. A child’s world view — his way of looking at the world, his standpoint on how things work — is established by about age 16, Mancini said.

Only by teaching the biblical principles early will we raise kids with a biblical, God-centered world view, Mancini says. And 45 minutes on Sunday morning just won’t cut it.

“The prevailing world view among 99% of young teens is syncretism, a combination of different beliefs,” Mancini said.

Kids are exposed to far more world views than ever before through social media. But these are “man-made” views, Mancini argues, not founded in faith.

How do we keep kids’ focus — and our focus as parents — on Godly principles like the Ten Commandments? How do we incorporate Jesus’ teachings into our daily lives?

“Muslims pray five times a day,” Mancini said. “How many times do Christians pray?”

In Mancini’s home, a lot. Her day begins and ends with prayer, with time set aside to read her Bible and to pray alone and with others throughout the day. Because her faith is a priority, Mancini does not let “life happened” moments interfere with her commitment to God.

Churches, synagogues and mosques, houses of worship of all kinds, agree that attracting families to their pews and prayer mats will determine their success or demise.

“We have to help the church attract parents,” Mancini said.

But to do that, the church needs to invest financially in and give priority to programs that support families and make religion more accessible so when parents need help, they know where to turn.

“Help is out there for parents,” Mancini said. “All you have to do is pray.”

Janis Fontaine writes about people of faith, their congregations, causes and community events. Contact her at fontaine423@outlook.com